Godsent Ogbebor
Trump Visa Fee Order Forces Indians to Cut Trips Short
A new executive order by President Donald Trump imposing a $100,000 charge on skilled worker visa applications prompted several Indian professionals abroad to return to the United States ahead of its enforcement.
Rohan Mehta, a software engineer who has lived in the US for more than a decade, was visiting relatives in Nagpur when the order was signed. Believing he might be unable to re-enter, he spent over $8,000 on last-minute tickets and boarded a flight to New York within hours.
The order, signed on Friday, introduced a one-time fee for companies applying for H-1B visas, a programme widely used by Indian professionals. Immigration lawyers and employers advised workers outside the US to travel back before the rule took effect on Sunday.
On Saturday, the White House clarified that the measure would not affect current visa holders or renewals. However, by that time, some workers had already returned. Mehta said he was relieved his wife and daughter had not joined him on the trip to India, describing the experience as difficult.
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“I gave the prime of my youth to working for this country, and now I feel like I’m not wanted,” he said. “My daughter has spent her whole life in the US. I don’t know how I will start over in India.”
According to official data, Indian nationals account for more than 70 percent of the 85,000 H-1B visas issued annually. Tech firms including Amazon, Tata, Microsoft, Meta, Apple, and Google are among the top sponsors.
Other visa holders also adjusted travel plans. One worker who had been on holiday in Europe said he decided to return early following legal advice, adding that employers were still reviewing the implications of the order.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later stated that the new charge would only apply to new H-1B applications. “Those who already hold H-1B visas and are currently outside of the country will not be charged $100,000 to re-enter,” she said.
